In the 21st century, it's not just enough to have your physical security covered. Cybercrime is a growing criminal enterprise and hackers are getting smarter. Because of this, you need to make sure your business is steeled against cybersecurity threats.
But what are the top cybersecurity threats?
If you've found yourself asking this question, you've come to the right place. This article will walk you through the top cybersecurity threats you need to watch out for, and tell you how managed IT services can help.
In the 21st century, it's not just enough to have your physical security covered. Cybercrime is a growing criminal enterprise and hackers are getting smarter. Because of this, you need to make sure your business is steeled against cybersecurity threats.
But what are the top cybersecurity threats?
If you've found yourself asking this question, you've come to the right place. This article will walk you through the top cybersecurity threats you need to watch out for, and tell you how managed IT services can help.
Cloud Hacking
Cloud services are becoming more and more popular.
In fact, the global cloud market is numbering in the hundred-billions. While the cloud provides a number of wonderful benefits, it also gives hackers a new way to steal your information.
Employee negligence can lead to hackers easily gaining the information required to get into your cloud. Everything is connected in the cloud, so a hacker could even gain access through someone's personal at-home computer, or mobile device. Through gaining this one person's information, they can access all of your sensitive material.
This is not a problem that previous generations had. It would be a shame if one of your employee's laptops were hacked, but it wouldn't be that big of a liability for the company unless the employee had your important information saved. However, the cloud gives hackers a pipeline straight to the top.
A hacker might even be able to gain access by using false credentials. In that case, they wouldn't even need an in through one of your employees. Are you taking all of the steps required to prevent this from happening?
The cloud — though advanced — has its weaknesses. Hackers have specially trained equipment that targets these weaknesses and tells them when to strike.
This is why it's important to work with reliable cloud service providers who know their stuff when it comes to IT counseling.
Malware
Good old malware. This one you've almost definitely heard of. Malware is by no means a new threat, but it's still just as dangerous as it ever was.
Malware, quite simply, refers to malicious software. Computer viruses, trojans, worms, and ransomware are all examples of Malware. Malware is usually contracted when someone clicks on a link that they shouldn't, allowing the software to make its way onto that individual's computer.
Malware is vicious, and you've no doubt heard about it. But some people don't realize that computer viruses work much differently than biological viruses.
Malware enables your computer to down ever more, harmful computer. They might block several of your applications and now allow you to access them unless you play. This type of virus is usually known as ransomware, and can sometimes even disguise itself as security software.
This is bad when it takes down your employee's devices and decreases productivity. However, things go from bad to worse when spyware is used to learn information about what's going on on the computer.
It's not as new as cloud threats, but it could be just as dangerous. Don't put all your time and energy into protecting new threats, and get eliminated by something as old as computers themselves.
Datto
Datto is an excellent provider of cloud backup services. You can decide to back up your data automatically once every few hours or even more often. If something bad happens, you will be immediately notified by mail and/or phone and you can take action to save your business.
Adaptive Malware
It might sound like something straight out of a science-fiction novel — but what if your malware started to learn?
AI has transformed computer viruses from just an old-school worry that you need to get yourself vaccinated from, to a deadly contemporary threat. Hackers can run complex, multi-phase security breach programs that learn and grow as your attempt to combat it increase.
The especially dreadful part of these operations is that they come in waves. You might think that the assault is done, let your guard down, and have your security rocked once more.
It's tough to tell the difference between standard Malware and adaptive Malware unless you're a professional. That's why it's important to work with managed IT services, who know how to combat these problems.
WEBROOT
Some cybersecurity applications also scan your data in real-time, preventing a potential virus from spreading to all your computers. Webroot is a leading provider of cybersecurity solutions for business, so give it a try when designing a disaster recovery and prevention plan.
Deepfake
This one will come as an extra shock to those not very familiar with contemporary technology. Deepfaking is a recent technology that uses AI to replicate faces. The programs study the movement of the faces of whichever individual the operator feeds to it.
This is most commonly used on celebrities. The more videos that are available of someone's face, the better replications that the deepfaking technology can create.
Deepfaking was first used in porn; for obvious reasons, people would profit off of putting celebrities' faces onto the bodies of various pornstars. However, the technology is advancing, and people have used deepfaking to imitate politicians and other cultural figures.
All it takes for someone to send a fake message that can be manipulated by the world is deep fake technology and access to someone who can do an impression of that person's voice. Deepfakes are becoming a more and more serious threat, and if someone covertly sends a message to your employees attached to the face of someone who looks like your CEO… you can imagine the consequences.
